Homecoming Scotland 2009

[rodandy]

I heard about the Gathering at the Highland Games in San Diego last year. It sounded like a great time, so I contacted a travel agent in the Kansas City area who was recommended to me by one of my customers. She put together a trip to Scotland for him this last summer and he was quite happy with her services. She grew up in Scotland and gets back there frequently, so she is up to date on what it takes to make a successful trip.

Her take on The Gathering was that it was designed to separate the tourists from their money and that all of the prices would be high. She suggested a trip either in May or September, the "shoulder seasons" when there would be fewer crowds and prices would be more reasonable.

Alas, it doesn't look like it will happen this year, perhaps in 2010.

[ThistleDown]

They don't seem to want the Clan societies either. My clan society had planned to bring a large contingent over from the USA for the gathering but they are now planning to tour Ireland instead.
Homecoming Scotland 2009 got off to a good start with the Burns 250 events in Dumfries which some of us attended, and similar events also took place the same weekend in Ayr and Glasgow. There is an interesting programme of events planned for all over Scotland throughout the year but so far it looks like this so-called gathering in Edinburgh might not shape up to be the big event which the initial hype had suggested.

I had a lovely dinner and evening a couple of weeks ago with Philip Riddel, CE of Visit Scotland. From this and two other pretty obvious connections, has come the following:

(a) there is a very limited budget for publicity, so most of what there is is being spent outwith Scotland. The Scottish press has been invited to write it up, but they are suspicious of the commercial content;

(b) there are about 300 events all over Scotland tied to Homecoming Scotland 2009, but there are many more that have declined to participate because their own focus would alter through Homecoming's commercial intent (much more on that, if you want it);

(c) clan societies have been invited to rent a tent, a small table and 4 chairs for two days in Edinburgh, at GBP200 (volunteers for the tent have to pay their own way at GBP15);

(d) clan chiefs have been drawn oot the closet and dusted off once again. The societies claiming to be clans, but without acknowledged chiefs or commanders, are 'way out there in the field -- somewhere about Cape Wrath, I susect;

Alex, I'm not sure about this, but if you've no a chief are ye really clan legitimate? (ah please don't hit on me for that its just a private joke for those who understand ).

The event will be a success in these tough times largely because it is a commercial tourism-driven venture with public money injected. For those of us who can be there, let's find a venue and have a good time meeting and greeting each other.

I'm at the Clan Chattan tent both days (we've paid the way). And I have a designated driver both nights. Surely we can find a way....

Oh, and Mael, that would be just plain Lord Semple, not Sir Semple, if you wouldn't mind .

[Jock Scot]

That's just great, spend "our" money, invite the rest of the world and don't tell us. Well I hope you all have a great time and no doubt us locals will benifit(?) in the long term from any money generated from this investing(?) of public money,Scots money! For me, I will go fishing. As to the rest of Scotland no doubt most of them will miss these events in blissful ignorance as, it seems, our "leaders" intend.

[cessna152towser]

if you've no a chief are ye really clan legitimate?

It is what is known in Scots law as an armigerous clan. One of several Scots clans where the official clan organisation died out in Scotland but a clan society was later established in Canada or the USA with the approval of the Lord Lyon of Scotland to represent the family name worldwide. There is no mechanism in Scots law to prevent other groups misrepresenting themselves as the recognised clan organisation for such clans. So a breakaway group can set themselves up as purporting to represent the clan, at the expense of the established clan society, though from the clansman's point of view this constitutes a heinous act of treachery. As things stand at present, I intend to boycott the Saturday Parade and Pageant as the whole affair, from my point of view, appears to be a commercial gimmick, with little respect for clan traditions. I certainly feel my family has been excluded, despite the alleged assurances from this breakaway group that they will welcome all family members to their tent. I still plan to attend the games in Holyrood Park on the Sunday so that I can meet up with those of you who are taking part. I am embarrassed that some of our Canadian and USA members of x-marks have been induced to part with their hard earned money to attend this overpriced and artificial event when they could see the real Scotland for much less money at any other time during the year. I am also embarrassed that members of my own clan society who wanted to be part of the gathering were made to feel so unwelcome by the organisers that they are now planning to visit Ireland instead.

[Phil]

Interesting article in today's Edinburgh Evening News - http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/to...ng-.5035934.jp

[Jock Scot]

That is interesting,Phil. Assuming that there are about five million people living in Scotland and according to the figure, 2.1 million, quoted in the article as Scots people seeing the advertising. I must then, be one of the 2.9 million Scots that has not seen anything. Not good.

[beowulf67]

That's just great, spend "our" money, invite the rest of the world and don't tell us. Well I hope you all have a great time and no doubt us locals will benifit(?) in the long term from any money generated from this investing(?) of public money,Scots money! For me, I will go fishing. As to the rest of Scotland no doubt most of them will miss these events in blissful ignorance as, it seems, our "leaders" intend.

Is the fishing good that time of year?

I'm going for the Gathering and yes I realize it's basically designed as a large tourist trap.
BUT (didn't see that coming did you) It was the impetus to get me off my duff and on a plane to Scotland. I'm going to be there for two weeks and will only be spending a few days in the dark, boiling cauldron of commercialism that will be Edinburgh on Gathering weekend.
I'll also be spending a week in the highlands sightseeing and spending cold, hard cash and doing my part to stimulate the local economy. I'll also be spending some time in Dumfries and the surrounding areas.

I plan to spend at least half of my vacation money on whisky and women. The other half I'll probably just waste.

Oh and I hope I get to meet up with any and all Xmarkers that are going to be around.

[Jock Scot]

Beowolf67.

Make no mistake your dollars and every one else's money is and has been very welcome to our economy well,since, Victorian times and long may it remain so. We would not enjoy Scotland without the tourist industry and the income that it generates.

My beef on this present issue is that the Scots seem to have been ignored here whilst "our" money is being spent on our behalf to advertise this particular event around the world. Now delving into the facts with little knowledge is a dangerous thing to do,but at least in the highlands we have been, it seems, kept in the dark. In fact there are figures that show that well over 50% of the Scottish people are estimated not to know about this event and again,it seems, that the tourist industry here, is happy with this state of affairs ,well I am not. Alright its you visitors that bring in the fresh money into our country and long may it continue ,but it does make us in Scotland look decidedly foolish to not know what is going on!Actually I don't even know when the event is taking place. Assuming this event is taking place in July and it rains more than a bit, the salmon fishing is(I hope) very good.

[beowulf67]

Jock,
It really is a shame that this isn't being promoted more in Scotland. I also understand their desire to get people from all over the world to come but I can't imagine why there would be no promotion of it in the host country.
It is taking place in July, 25th and 26th to be exact. The games themselves are in Holyrood park with the parade up the Royal Mile and then something at the Castle.

The Inverness highland games are supposed to be the weekend before the Gathering, and I'll be in town for those and am looking forward to them as well. They are having the Masters world championships there and the Heavy World championships in Edinburgh.

[Jock Scot]

Jock,
It really is a shame that this isn't being promoted more in Scotland. I also understand their desire to get people from all over the world to come but I can't imagine why there would be no promotion of it in the host country.
It is taking place in July, 25th and 26th to be exact. The games themselves are in Holyrood park with the parade up the Royal Mile and then something at the Castle.

The Inverness highland games are supposed to be the weekend before the Gathering, and I'll be in town for those and am looking forward to them as well. They are having the Masters world championships there and the Heavy World championships in Edinburgh.

Thank you for that. One can only wonder why this information has to be found some two thousand miles away from where its going to happen! Ho hum.